Navigating Sustainability and Inclusivity: Women-Led Community-Based Businesses in Post-Disaster Recovery

Aimi Matsumoto and Mikio Ishiwatari ()
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Aimi Matsumoto: Japan International Cooperation Agency, Tokyo 102-8012, Japan
Mikio Ishiwatari: The Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Chiba 277-8581, Japan

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 14, 1-10

Abstract: Community-based businesses have emerged as a means of addressing socio-economic challenges in the aftermath of disasters. This study investigates the contribution of women-led community-based businesses to recovery and their long-term sustainability. It draws upon case studies in the Tohoku region of Japan and Banda Aceh, Indonesia, areas impacted by major earthquakes and tsunamis over a decade ago. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that the community-based businesses surveyed had evolved from mere “reconstruction goods” by maintaining sustained commitment and developing products. Enhancing organizational credibility through quality improvement efforts was crucial for securing long-term contracts with private companies, a key factor for business continuity. However, prioritizing sustainability often came at the cost of diminished community inclusivity, as differences in skill levels and misaligned values among participants led to departures. This study highlights the challenges in balancing business longevity with maintaining businesses’ role as spaces for social interaction and community rebuilding.

Keywords: Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami; Indian Ocean tsunami; community rebuilding; business networking; business sustainability; marketing; capacity building (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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